Leyland Test Track: Plans for 743 new homes to be decided this week

Hybrid planning permission for the former Leyland Test Track was approved in 2019 and work has already begun on 197 homes in phases 1 and 2, with permission for a business park, petrol station and drive-thru restaurant approved in April 2022.

>>>Click here to read more about the petrol station and drive-thru

David Wilson Homes and Barratt Homes now want permission to build a total of 743 homes in phases 3 and 5 - pinning down issues including design, access, layout and open spaces.

What council officers think

South Ribble Borough Council planning officers are recommending the plans are approved dependant on Lancashire County Council being happy with highways arrangements, or deferred if this is not the case.

The officer's report to the planning committee states: "The proposed development is not considered to result in the overdevelopment of the site and is not considered to be out of character with the area.

"The proposed development is not considered to have an undue impact on the amenities of neighbouring properties and there are no significant highway safety or amenity implications."

The homes

Of the 743 homes proposed, 223 would be 'affordable housing units' - 112 for Shared Ownership and 111 for Affordable Rent. These are to be dispersed across the site in small clusters.

In total there would be 69 two-bed apartments, 81 two-bed dwellings, 479 three-bed dwellings and 114 four-bed dwellings are proposed across the site.

The homes would be built in nine 'character areas', named as The Lanes, Paradise, Doll Lane East, Doll Lane West, Poolside, Village Heart and Longmeanygate North.

Each character area would be identified by a combination of different elements including features of public realm and landscape, house types, building material palette and planting.

The access

Access into Phases 3, 4 and 5 will be via Titan Way along the eastern boundary. From here, an Avenue will extend westwards through the site providing access into the central parcels.

A series of secondary streets would extend off this main route to provide access to development parcels to the north and south.

Access will also be possible from the west via the phase 2 development and New Longmeanygate.

>>>Click here to see Colin McRae’s link to Leyland Test Track

County Highways have raised a number of issues in relation to restricting vehicles speeds, highway widths and reversing distances for bin lorries and fire engines. Amended plans have been provided to address these points by the developers.

If amendments are not accepted, the permission could be deferred.

Green space

The proposed site layout incorporates areas of Public Open Space approved as part of Phase 1 on the parent planning permission, comprising of a network of interconnecting urban drainage ponds and channels.

Across the whole site, 1.3 hectares of woodland will be retained, and there will be a network of 9.61 hectares of “green links and corridors” as well as the planting of 326 trees.

Dedicated pedestrian/cycle paths are proposed across the site together with a bridleway which dissects the site.

Money

The associated hybrid planning permission on the wider site approved in November 2019 secured the following financial contributions:

- £800,000 to provide a bus service through the development

- £277,515 for improvements and maintenance of Paradise Park

- £90,000 for off-site highway improvement works and Traffic Regulation Orders

- £10,000 towards future air quality monitoring

- £25,000 towards public art

-£255 per dwelling towards a Travel Plan fund